Laomedeia (moon) facts for kids
Laomedeia, also known as Neptune XII, is one of the many moons that orbit the giant planet Neptune. It's not perfectly round like Earth's Moon, but more of an odd shape.
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About Laomedeia
Laomedeia was discovered by a team of astronomers led by Matthew J. Holman on August 13, 2002. Before it received its official name, it was known by a temporary code: S/2002 N 3. The moon was officially named Laomedeia on February 3, 2007.
Orbit and Size
Laomedeia orbits Neptune very far away, at a distance of about 23,571,000 kilometers (that's over 14 million miles!). It's a relatively small moon, measuring about 42 kilometers (about 26 miles) across.
Laomedeia's orbit around Neptune is not a perfect circle. Its path is quite stretched out, which astronomers call its eccentricity. For Laomedeia, this value is 0.381, meaning it moves closer to and further from Neptune during its journey.
The moon's orbit is also tilted compared to Neptune's main orbital plane. This tilt is called its orbital inclination, and for Laomedeia, it's about 37.7 degrees.
Its Name
Laomedeia is named after a character from Greek mythology. She was one of the 50 Nereids, who were sea nymphs. They were daughters of the sea god Nereus and the Oceanid Doris.
See also
- In Spanish: Laomedeia (satélite) para niños
